I was 16 years old at the time and did not have much of a past and the future wasn’t looking so bright. I was heading down a path of fulfilling an expectation of a native youth, drinking, unemployed and not reaching my potential. My Dad said work or go to school, well I got kicked out of school several months earlier when I was 15 and going back to school to start grade 9 again, for the third time I might add, was not appealing to a 16 year old kid. Need to make money, so I can party, and have a good time. Short term goal, long time hardship. Being fired was upsetting I can recall riding home in the back of a pickup truck with others going to Rama wondering, what my Dad and Mom might say?
That day I was sitting on a 20 foot ladder with my little transistor radio listening to the final game of the Canada – Russia Hockey Summit from Moscow, eating an apple, not picking apples. The owner came along and saw me sitting up there and asked, “what are you doing?” “Eating an apple was my cocky reply”, “why don’t you take a few of those home with you tonight and you can have them tomorrow! when you are not working here!” was his terse response, fired,.. was the reality of that situation. Immediately I thought, jeez, I can’t even hold a job picking apples, what is going to become of me?
We all know that Canada won the game on the goal of the century by Paul Henderson, I was happy in one sense, but disillusioned in another. September 28, 1972 goes down as a historic day for Canada as we triumph over the communist nation in dramatic comeback fashion in a game we call our own filling the hearts of all with pride, hockey, it’s our game! A native boy is fired, he is less than committed, lacks desire, dedication, and discipline to carry out the task at hand,… picking apples.
When I got home and told my parents what had happened today at the orchard they were disappointed, my Dad said, “you are not staying here for nothing, you either go back to school or get another job!” Well getting another job was not my immediate thought, after all, getting released from picking apples isn’t a great endorsement and indication of a quality employee. I made the decision to go back to school, to try grade 9 again, go to the new school that had opened up, because my record at the former school was not good, failed grade 9 the first year including phys ed, who fails phys ed? The second year I began to skip school and eventually was kicked out, playing pool was far more fun than learning about history. Mr. Jacobs, the Vice Principal at the time commented, ” it appears you don’t really want to be here Mr. Williams, so we are going to make it easy for you, you do not have to come back here.” You’re kicking me out I said”, he replied,”we don’t like to phrase it quite like that, you are not expected to return here tomorrow.” With a smile on my face I left, only to regret it later. This was March of 1972.
So I found myself returning to Twin Lakes Secondary School a month later, (October 2, 1972) than everybody else, only to encounter an individual who would, cut me a break, and other than my family saw some hope in a young aboriginal hoping to fulfill his promise. Jim McKean had transferred from Orillia District Collegiate and Vocational Institute to assume teaching grade 9 geography at Twin Lakes. We were well acquainted with each other, you see, Mr. McKean was my home room teacher in my first two years of high school at O.D.C.V.I. both grade 9 geography. My home room at T.L.S.S. was grade 9 geography with Jim McKean, don’t laugh it’s true…..to be continued……..
I finished my 3rd year of grade 9 with Jim McKean and followed up with him in grade 10 geography, although we broke the streak of home room class’ together. During the fall of 1973 I met this girl in geography class, Debbie Brown, we began to date in the spring of 1974 and have been together now for over 40 years. I left high school at the age of 20 one credit shy of grade 12, I could have gone back and got my last credit at many points during the last 40 years, I don’t regret it, over the span of time it is not what defines me although I totally encourage education, just ask my children.
I tried college but old habits are hard to break as I was not committed or disciplined to make the necessary effort so again I dropped out. When you lack self esteem and self worth it is very difficult to achieve, your standards are as only as high as your previous accomplishments, and mine were low, I had low expectations of myself. I continued to indulge in drinking, Deb and I broke up before marriage and kids and I fell into a downward spiral of over indulgence. I left and went out to Brandon Manitoba and spent some time taking a band management and economic development course for First Nation members. I was gone several months, made it through the course, only the higher power knows how, as I drank to excess everyday. You may be wondering at this point, wow, this is pretty deep and open of Ted to share this, relax, I have nothing to hide, this is how I became me, and this is who I am.
During that winter away, I proposed to Deb and we married in June of 1978. I ran for council in 1980 and lost by a vote. In 1982 I ran again and won a seat on council at the age of 25. That night we had a party at our little 900 sq. ft home and had 40 people in the house our son was 7 weeks old and I guess I was less than aware of my actions that night. The next day Deb was in tears and she confronted me about my behaviour, I broke a promise I had made to her about our children. She reminded me that I had said that our children would never see what I had seen as a child, they would never see me drunk. She said our son is only 7 weeks old but he seen you drunk, she was right, and that was the last time I had a drink, January 16 1982.
I ran for a council seat in 1984 and won again, also during this time I was the addiction worker in our community, I headed up social services at that time, total staff, 1, me. I was learning a lot during that time, when you stop bad habits and replace them with positive ones your life begins to change. As a person thinketh so are they. I began to take courses, classes, listen to experts in their field and implement what I learned in my own life and things started to happen, almost miraculously. We had baby Jewels in 1984 Ryan was our 1st born in 1981.
Late in my term of council I was asked to run for the position of Chief by a number of elders in the community, I was honored but nervous, I was only 29 at the time. They supported me and I ran for Chief, I was elected Chief in 1986 at age 29, our youngest ever, I was humbled and honored, even to this day.
I always reported to work early and many times opened the door, a far cry from a lazy youth who sat atop a ladder listening to a radio. Just after 8 a.m. the phone rang and the individual who spoke asked to speak to Chief Ted Williams, I knew the voice,… a voice from the past. I replied, “this is Chief Ted Williams, how can I help you?” He spoke and asked if I knew who it was, my reply was, “how could I forget Jim McKean!” We exchanged pleasantries and he offered congratulations, it was so good to hear from him. There was a method to hi madness as he wanted me to come and speak to his class, that morning, at 10 a.m. could I do it. I told him it would be a privilege, but Jim, what do you want me to speak on? J.H. McKean wanted me to speak on the value of an education, and perseverance. I could do that I said. My visit was memorable, as my youngest sister was in his class, at the conclusion of my visit with my old geography teacher he told me how proud he was and it was nice to see one of his students accomplish things with their life. A nice moment shared at the time.
Well my life as taken some twists and turns, but it has been an exciting journey. Watching our children venture into the big wide world has been trying and rewarding at the same time. Sharing life experiences, nurturing, encouraging and loving is what parenting is about. Building self esteem, self worth, and overall confidence is rewarding as a Mom or Dad.
Our youngest Julie, was finishing her high school days at Park Street Collegiate in Orillia, I believe it was 2002. She came home from school one day and said, “you will never guess who I ran into today at school”. Puzzled, I wondered aloud who? Jewels explained that her regular geography teacher was off sick and so they had a fill in, a retired former high school teacher we were aware of, and who knew us well. Yes, Jim McKean! Apparently he told our daughter, ” I could tell you some stories about your Mom and dad.” I tried to shake him, but he just won’t go away. I saw him a church one day and he told me he was being ordained as a minister with the United Church, I congratulated him this time and wished him well on his new path, always giving that man.
Deb and I settled in to our empty nest, looking forward to the time when family would gather for special occasions, Christmas, birthdays, Easter, Thanksgiving and family trip to Disney. Ryan had left for California the summer of 2007, and Julie was attending University at Carleton, she had met a wonderful young man the year before and he who proposed that summer. Jewels and Ben our soon to be son in-law had initially planned to marry in the summer of 2008, we were excited. With one more year of university to complete and a wedding to arrange, the thinking was it may be a daunting task to focus and excel during that final year of university, and so the wedding was now moved forward to Thanksgiving weekend of 2007. We had 3 weeks to pull it all together, a place to have the wedding, who to invite, budget concerns, praying for good weather. Jewels asked who I knew that could possibly marry them on such a short notice, someone local as the wedding would be in Orillia. I told her someone who she was familiar with may be able to do it if he was able, if he was free that weekend. I called my old friend, Reverend Jim McKean. He was delighted to have the opportunity, he would need to spend some time to counsel the young couple.
Julie and Ben were married on the Monday of Thanksgiving weekend 2007 at Marigold Springs, every place was booked that weekend. The day was a warm one with sunshine and one little cloud that let a light rain to cleanse everyone and everything during the ceremony, not enough to get wet. The crane flew by in the background also during the wedding ceremony, a sign of happiness, healing, success and good fortune.
When I think back and remember all the moments of my life, this story has as much meaning and application to anything I may have participated in, and this is the shortened version, it encompasses many of my beliefs, values, our collective spirit.
Today I give thanks for all of those serendipitous moments over 42 years, a wonderful man, a beautiful family, and a life that just keeps happening. Miigwetch Creator…
